Transfer case replaced on 2013 SVT with 65k miles - bad?

I am looking to purchase a 2013 SVT with 64K miles. The Ford dealership replaced the transfer case yesterday. Is this a truck I want to avoid purchasing?

It is an auction truck and procured from a small, non-Ford, dealership, so they know nothing about the vehicle. Do not want to fork over $40k for something that will fail me soon....

I am not in any rush, so passing on this truck is no biggie. It is a single owner vehicle originally from Texas with a clean CarFax.

I appreciate all your comments and insight.

Don't know if it is an issue or not. But my experience is that I replaced my 2014 at 140k miles.

My truck is used ever day but I don"t considered it abused at all.

The transfer case on my 2011 failed at 85,000 miles.

I'm thinking that early vintage Raptors that had the magic Ford Transfer Case Fluid might be more failure prone due to some failing in the fluid. For those who are not aware, Ford has abandoned its proprietary transfer case fluid and now recommends Mercon LV. That's handy. My truck uses Mercon LV in the transmission and power steering, too.

Ruger said:

The transfer case on my 2011 failed at 85,000 miles.

I'm thinking that early vintage Raptors that had the magic Ford Transfer Case Fluid might be more failure prone due to some failing in the fluid. For those who are not aware, Ford has abandoned its proprietary transfer case fluid and now recommends Mercon LV. That's handy. My truck uses Mercon LV in the transmission and power steering, too.

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New Guy here showing his MFNG skills. Transfer case only for the rear in 4x4 or something that would fail in 2H as well?

Is it the fluid alone that will save it, or is there something mechanical that is at fault as well? I’ve read here about whole transfer cases needing replaced and not just fluid.

Haven’t been able to put my used 96k mi 2014 in 4H or 4L much yet. Seems to work fine when I have so far.

Want to make sure I make this fluid change before it craps out, if that’s even a possibility at this point.

Is it too late?

^^^
The transfer case functions whether you're in 2WD, 4High, or 4Low. If it fails, you may be able to limp home depending upon the failure mode.

Fluids age and mechanical parts wear. The shift fork could break, the shift solenoid could fail, or something much worse. Mine failed at 85K miles despite only occasional use and three fluid changes. You never know, you know?

Please don't tell me that you'd forego buying two measily quarts of fluid and an hour's work under the truck under the assumption that the unit will fail anyway. If your transfer case has 96K miles and has never been serviced, change the dang fluid.

Ruger said:

^^^
The transfer case functions whether you're in 2WD, 4High, or 4Low. If it fails, you may be able to limp home depending upon the failure mode.

Fluids age and mechanical parts wear. The shift fork could break, the shift solenoid could fail, or something much worse. Mine failed at 85K miles despite only occasional use and three fluid changes. You never know, you know?

Please don't tell me that you'd forego buying two measily quarts of fluid and an hour's work under the truck under the assumption that the unit will fail anyway. If your transfer case has 96K miles and has never been serviced, change the dang fluid.

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As the name states, new guy here. Not concerned about the cost or time of the fluid, or the work as I love this truck and will do anything to keep it til top, but I have heard stories of if you’ve reached X amount of miles that a transfer case/differential fluid change could cause more harm than good.

Bought truck used and didn’t get great service records, although local race shop gave it clean PPI.

Thoughts/theories behind this?

MFNG said:

As the name states, new guy here. Not concerned about the cost or time of the fluid, or the work as I love this truck and will do anything to keep it til top, but I have heard stories of if you’ve reached X amount of miles that a transfer case/differential fluid change could cause more harm than good.

Bought truck used and didn’t get great service records, although local race shop gave it clean PPI.

Thoughts/theories behind this?

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New fluid in a transfer case and/or differential WILL NOT cause more harm than good. You need to change the fluid! As @Ruger pointed out, every time your drive shaft is spinning, so is your transfer case. So regardless of whether you have used 4WD or not, the fluid is being used.

It shouldn’t take you more than 30 mins (and even that may be an excessive time frame). Remove your transfer case skid plate, pull the drain plug, let it drain out, and fill it up with 2 quarts of ATF.

You ought to change all your diff fluids too because I doubt they were changed with the original owner. Lol if I ever sell my Gen 1, someone will be getting a well maintained truck

Here is a video for reference:

SVTFordRaptor - Sell baby sell .

We are looking to buy - terrain, black or red, with 40-60k miles, 2013/2014 SVT - loaded. But hoping something in CA since that is where we live, which means it needs the 50 state emissions sticker.

appreciate all the feedback about the transfer case. Not going to let a new replacement deter me from buying the truck....assuming it checks out.

SVTFordRaptor said:

New fluid in a transfer case and/or differential WILL NOT cause more harm than good. You need to change the fluid! As @Ruger pointed out, every time your drive shaft is spinning, so is your transfer case. So regardless of whether you have used 4WD or not, the fluid is being used.

It shouldn’t take you more than 30 mins (and even that may be an excessive time frame). Remove your transfer case skid plate, pull the drain plug, let it drain out, and fill it up with 2 quarts of ATF.

You ought to change all your diff fluids too because I doubt they were changed with the original owner. Lol if I ever sell my Gen 1, someone will be getting a well maintained truck

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EXACTLY. Of the three, the transfer case is the easiest to work on - it has a drain plug! Don't know why Ford omitted drain plugs for the differentials (did it save 50 cents?), but the transfer case has one. Capacity is about 50 ounces, but don't worry because you can't overfill it. Your expensive new fully synthetic Mercon LV fluid will just drain out of the fill hole if you do. Tends to make a mess on the garage floor unless you know that the transfer case will only take 18 ounces from the second bottle of fluid.

The differentials are another matter. Working on the rear differential will be greatly facilitated if you drop the spare. You will need a fluid pump to remove the old fluid in both differentials. Some advise you remove the cover to drain out every last fluid ounce of fluid. I wouldn't unless you're going to replace the cover with an aftermarket unit (all of which feature [wait for it...] a DRAIN PLUG). The factory glues the covers on so that they'll stay on after the sun goes nova, and it's genuine challenge to get the thing off. Pumping out the old fluid is sufficient if you're persistent. (HINT: Doing it when the fluid is hot helps quite a bit.)

You have little choice on the front differential. It's in tight confines, clearances are very limited, and there aren't any aftermarket covers available to tempt you. You'll need a small diameter hose to pump out the fluid, because the clearances inside the differential will not allow a normal diameter fluid pump hose to reach the bottom of the unit. Service it anyway despite the difficulty. I've found that the front differential tends to get water in it. I don't know how, but twice I've pumped out fluid that was clearly adulterated with water.

280 miles with no issues. Just do the reg maintenance is all I can suggest.